Jacksonville News

Jacksonville Nonprofit Hearts 4 Minds Providing QPR Suicide Prevention Training

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - June 26, 2023 –  Local organization Hearts 4 Minds (H4M) now offers certified QPR Institute Suicide Prevention Training, adding to its roster of mental health care initiatives. The method is based on the CPR model with steps anyone can take to help prevent suicide.

“Often a person who may have suicide ideation is waiting for someone to recognize they’re in trouble,” said Sheryl Johnson, founder of Hearts 4 Minds. “You may be the one to help them; you can help them and this training helps you to recognize those cues and act.”

The 60-90 minute instruction utilizes three action steps (question, persuade and refer) to provide hope and support. Not unlike giving an emergency response with CPR to someone experiencing cardiac arrest, three seemingly simple steps help provide the knowledge to recognize the subtle signs of someone struggling and have the skills to prevent a tragedy.

Hearts 4 Minds offers groups (corporations, organizations, schools, etc) with a minimum of 10 participants to a maximum of 35. Each participant will leave the session with the tools needed to help prevent a tragedy and will be provided with a handbook and a certificate of passing the QPR-certified program.

The presentation is led by an instructor through a series of slides and scenario reviews. Unlike CPR, there are no hands-on interactions, making the training accessible to all. However, the training is in-person to allow for a fully interactive process among the group.

The instruction is geared toward those of high school age and above due to the heaviness of the subject matter. However middle school-aged children (with the permission of parents) make for ideal trainees of the program as they often recognize the more subtle symptoms and cues for struggle among their classmates due to daily interactions and social media use.

The training location is flexible and determined by the organization. To schedule a training and learn more about the organization, visit www.hearts4minds.org.

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About Hearts 4 Minds
Hearts 4 Minds is leading the charge to break down the stigma of mental illness and alter how people look at mental health. They are driven by a single goal: to leverage an ounce of prevention to raise awareness, provide tools to recognize the signs of mental illness and facilitate early identification and treatment. They aim to be a helping hand before, as well as during, a mental health crisis. For more information, please visit www.hearts4minds.org.